It's Not Easy Being A Little Guy!

While Sam was eating his breakfast this morning he fell asleep! Of course, I took a few pictures. : ) I was actually a little excited that he did because it meant I could put him in his crib & actually take a shower without a problem.

Earlier this week he finally tried pasta with tomato sauce & he made a big ol mess (of course). He is so much easier to feed now that he almost eats the same foods we do. I try to feed him healthy foods & it helps me to eat better too.

We also put in his new car seat & thought he would finally stop whining when we're in the car but no such luck. He hates being confined I guess. We sometimes think about taking road rips but it just doesn't seem possible because unless he falls asleep all he does is whine & cry. I've even tried giving him toys & though that may give him a minute of entertainment he soon returns to crying. I tell you what, I cannot wait until he's old enough to reason with.

The other day it was such a hard day with him & I eventually broke down into tears. He's going through this stage of wanting to be with me or Travis (both, preferably) every second or otherwise he cries. He even will throw himself on the ground. I thought tantrums don't start until age 2! So, the other day Travis was at work & Samuel was just fussy all day & wanted to be with me every second & I was trying to get household stuff done. He wouldn't take a nap; he was having a rough day. Usually I have a lot of patience but I was so tired from not getting enough sleep that I finally just broke down & pleaded with him (I felt so silly that I was pleading with a 10 1/2 month old). I'm hoping today will be a better day.

Just Thinking...

Ever had days when you just don't feel real motivated? That's been my last couple days. Not motivated to clean. Not motivated to exercise. And definitely not motivated to eat healthy. I did do stuff but I feel like I have not been very productive. I keep thinking, "tomorrow will be a more productive day!" That's always my mantra it seems ("Tomorrow my diet begins!" "Tomorrow I will get this house clean & organized!" "Tomorrow I will..."). And then I think that if I only could get Sam to sleep every night by 8:30pm & then be in bed by 10pm & then wake up at 5am (so that I can get a lot done before Sam wakes up) then, and only then, will I be able to accomplish everything. What's that saying "The heart is willing but the flesh is weak"? Uhhhhh...I think that is what it is. I wish I had enough self-discipline to get up early & to keep an immaculate home. But then I guess I'm wishing I would be someone else cuz that just ain't me. I don't see the point of making the bed & I was always the "messy" roommate during my college years. Thank the Lord my husband isn't a clean freak or else he'd have a headache all the time. But I make a mean chocolate chip cookie so I guess that makes up for my other weaknesses.

It's funny, back in day, before I was married I use to make pretend schedules of what I would do with every moment of the day once I became a wife & mother. I designated specific cleaning tasks for certain days, made up pretend children (names & ages included) & their pretend activities. I really thought that that is what I would do once I was married with child(ren). So, while my professors would pontificate about "this or that" I would be making schedules for my future "married with children" life. I thought I was the only weirdo who did such things but I am happy to announce that my good friend, and fellow weirdo, Sara Mallon also use to make similar schedules. I'm not completely abnormal --yay!! Anyways, so I came across one such schedule in my laptop.

So, just for the heck of it, here it is:

Imaginary Children:
Christian -- 5
Cameron -- 4
Gracie Jean -- 2

Monday:
5:30am Awake, shower, Bible time
6:00 Prep for breakfast, make lunches, basic cleaning
6:30 Wake husband & kids; Breakfast; clean up
7:00 Get kids dressed & get myself dressed
7:30 Leave to drop Christian off at school
8:30 Home + time with Cameron & Gracie
9:00 Laundry + Prepare grocery list
10:00 Grocery Store
11:00 Home + put groceries away + prep for lunch
11:30 Leave to pick up Christian
12:30 Lunch with kids
1:00 Clean up
1:30 Time with kids
5:00 Prepare dinner
6:00 Dinner
6:30 Clean up
7:00 Family Time
7:30 Baths
8:00 Get ready for bed + stories
8:30 Time with husband
10:30 Sleep

So, I guess that is how I imagined life would be & though I am not in those exact circumstances (i.e. I only have one child who is still an infant & does not go to school) it does seem pretty accurate. Well, except for the whole getting up at 5:30am part. Oh, and for the record, Travis has poo-pooed the names Christian & Cameron so those will probably not be showing up in the future. However, Gracie Jean will hopefully come to fruition but in the form of Emma Jean & then Gracie (still haven't solidified a middle name). This is of course if Travis relents & doesn't have a vasectomy after our first daughter (he's petrified of having a daughter!). I suspect she will have him wrapped around her little finger. Girls aren't so bad!

My Hubby, The Nut!

We have been experiencing an ant problem, lately. I swear our house was built on an ant hill because we can never seem to fully get rid of them & the second a crumb is left out or if it is about to rain, here they come, marching two by two! My husband decided to make a special poisonous formula for them (isn't he sweet to be thinking so altruistically for our precious little friends?) & when I went out to the kitchen this morning I laughed when I saw the message he left for them. Who doesn't love free food?!

Don't turn your back!

Sammy has recently figured out how to open cupboards! Uh-oh! I turn my back for one second & he decided it was a good idea to investigate the contents of a cupboard. Unraveling paper towels can be fun!

Our friend Serene, turns 3!

One of my best friends, Meghan has a daughter, Serene. On Saturday, we went to Serene's 3rd birthday in Napa, CA. We finally had an opportunity to get a picture of us with our children. She also has a newborn son, about 7 weeks old now, Matthias James.

Meghan and I have been best friends since the 3rd grade & it's crazy sometimes to think of us as little girls & now here we are, "adults" with children of our own. And might I add, how much does Sammy look like his daddy! He is the spittin' image.

Friday

On Friday, I went to my neice's (she's actually my second cousin but she's always been my neice at heart) softball game. It was brutally hot! Regardless, I had fun hanging out with my aunt & cousins. Sammy had fun with his cousin Bradley (I guess they'd actually be 3rd cousins??)! It was fun to watch them play together because it was like watching two boys "rough & tumble" together instead of an infant & a kid. My boy is growing up!

Mothers, do you agree?

I feel like my brain, specifically my memory, have all gone to a faraway place since I became a mother. My husband will often tell me something, ask me about it later, and I won't know what he's talking about (this is according to him that he actually told me whatever it was because I truly don't remember it). He thinks it is because I don't listen. Maybe that's the case. Or, maybe all the sleep deprivation a mother deals with negatively affects memory. Or possibly when I delivered Samuel, some of my brain cells were expelled as well.

Or, maybe I I just have selective hearing...

Deep Thoughts

"Some complain that roses have thorns -- others rejoice that thorns have roses!"

I saw this quote recently & it definitely made me stop & think. It's often easier to see the bad things ("thorns") in life, unmet needs or desires, and to forget about the blessings (roses). Sometimes I grumble inside because it is going to be 4 years before Travis is done with school (i.e. 4 years until we have money, 4 years until we can move, 4 years until we can buy the extras in life, etc.). My big issue is that I really want to move out of this house, out of the "ghetto" & to a neighborhood where I feel safer. I forget that most young families don't automatically have money to buy a house in a decent neighborhood. Most new families don't have money to buy the 'extras'. There is usually a period of struggling ("sowing") and in time, hopefully, it will lead to a reaping from all that hard work/struggle. So, it may be difficult right now but there are so many roses amongst the thorns and I need to remind myself of this fact often. Part of the blessing during this time is that we are learning to rejoice in the small things. We are learning to be creative with what we do have. Before I was married I spent money all the time. If I could not afford something I put it on credit card. I did not deny myself anything I wanted, within reason (not like I had deep pockets or anything), because it was just me in charge of my finances. Boy have times changed! I don't do frivolous shopping anymore. My interests have changed as well. Whenever I was bored I would go to Starbucks or go shopping (with friends or alone). Now, I am more into cooking, taking care of my son & husband, and household tasks. Hanging out with friends is a treat and something I don't take for granted. That's another thing because motherhood is wonderful but can be very isolating especially since I don't live within a reasonable distance of any friends. So, there have been a lot of drastic changes in my life over the last couple years -- some wonderful, some difficult -- but that's just a part of life.

I just hope that through these difficult times I can look past the thorns, embrace the roses and be the best mother and wife that I can be.

Feeling Better

Today is the first day of feeling better (for me that is). Sam is still a little sick & Travis, well Travis had a couple days of sickness & was then eating cheese quesadillas the very next day. I don't get it. Since I did not clean for a whole week (I was too busy changing many outfits due to Sam's queasy stomach & leaky diaper -- eww...trying to keep him hydrated...worrying about him...and walking around like a zombie while I threw up here, there, everywhere!) today has been dedicated to cleaning - whoo! The laundry incurred in such a short amount of time amazes me. Sometimes I think, "If there is this much laundry for just 3 of us, how much is there going to be when there is 4,5, and then 6?!" Crazy! Hopefully this week will be a little more low key.

(Bleh)

On Tuesday Samuel had the flu...and of course...we all enjoyed it on Wednesday and Thursday. I haven't been this miserable in a long time. Today I feel a teensy bit better and can actually keep fluids down. My husband and Sam are doing a lot better too. It's so scary having a little guy who is sick!

Five Things Survey

Well I guess I've been tagged (http://www.thenearness.blogspot.com/), so here I go...

Five things on my To-Do List:
1. Find a park for Sam's first birthday
2. Finish my group project (yes, that's right, for some insane reason I'm taking an online ECE class)
3. Load the dishwasher
4. Get mother day gifts for mom and mother in law
5. Watch The Bachelor tonight!

Five Favorite Snacks:
1. wheat thins with laughing cow swiss light cheese
2. Fiber One bar
3. Skinny cow ice cream bars
4. banana (must be where Sam gets his banana obsession from)
5. cookies

Five things I would do if I were a Billionaire:
1. Give to the church
2. Build our dream house
3. Finally go on our Hawaiian Honeymoon
4. Give to those who want to adopt but are financially struggling to & give to christian adoption agencies (& orphanages)
5. Buy my family: houses, trips, pay off their debt, etc. (that includes you aunt jeani and cousin wendy too ; ) -- so, keep your fingers crossed )

Five Bad Habits (or should be titled "Five Habits that Annoy my Husband" : ) ):
1. Not putting the toilet paper roll on the holder, but leaving it on the counter
2. Leaving my big bottles of shampoo and conditioner at the bottom of the shower tub (instead of putting them away)
3. Leaving the water on while I brush my teeth
4. Stealing covers & rolling over onto his side during the night (I can't help it! I'm asleep!)
5. Leaving a dirty diaper on the changing table when Sam's diaper genie is too full

Man, I am horrible! I never realized how bad I am until now. It is a good thing Travis isn't a clean freak because then we would do nothing but fight! Okay, I have no excuse. Now I know what I need to work on. : P (Hey Melissa, you can come to my house and obsessively clean if you want!)

Five Places I have lived:
1. San Luis Obispo, CA
2. Santa Clarita, CA
3. Valencia, CA
4. Sacramento, CA
5. Elk Grove, CA

Five Jobs I've had:
1. Barista
2. Server
3. Nanny
4. Substitute Teacher
5. Preschool Teacher

Five People I tag to fill out this survey on their blog:
1. Kim Archer
2. Heidi Watters
3. Christine Young
4. Sara Mallon
5. ummmmm...does anyone else read my blog....ummm...help...I need friends...

My Toys Travel With Me!

Whenever Sam is crawling around the room he usually has a toy in each hand. It's kind of funny to watch. One of these days I will get a picture of him crawling around with a toy in each hand and a toy in his mouth. He's a multitasker. Or, maybe just greedy. ; )

When Animals Attack!

In case you are curious, my little animal is attacking bananas, avocado, monteray jack cheese and cheerios in these pictures (he's gotta bulk up for football season ; ) ). He loves bananas so much. I'm sure he could eat five of them at once if I let him. I feel like I have a different child now because he was the fussiest eater for so long and now he eats with gusto. I am so amazed by how much food he can eat. He could put a group of competetive eaters to shame!
Also, he does this new thing whenever I'm taking pictures of him. I think he's just anticipating the flash because he'll squint his eyes and then I end up with a lot of squinty-eyed pictures. It's great that he can feed himself now, but man, what a mess! One of the great aspects of having a dog is that when Sam is done with a meal I can let Daxter in and he can lick the droppings off of the carpet.

Laundry can be fun!

Laundry can be fun when...you take your little man for a ride in the basket!